Student Travel and 15 Passenger Van Usage Policy

I. Student Travel

A. Stipulations regarding class assignments, field trips, and other trips are explained in the Faculty Handbook:

Albion College recognizes that participation in extra-classroom activities such as class trips, departmental trips, club field trips, workshops, and intercollegiate athletics can be of benefit to the students and to the institution. However, Albion College also recognizes that classroom work is at the heart of the student’s progress in courses. Therefore, no College-sanctioned trip will be permitted that results in the absence of a student from classes for more than two consecutive class days without permission of the Provost. Furthermore, no intercollegiate athletic trip will be permitted to remove a student from classes for more than one class day, except by permission of the Provost. Saturdays rather than class days will be used for College-sponsored, extra-classroom activities whenever possible. Limited College transportation is available; inquiries should be directed to the Physical Plant Office and to the Office of Campus Programs and Organizations.

Students should inform their faculty members in advance of an upcoming class absence that is a result of participation in an official College event. Written notification of such absences is required, and must be distributed by the supervising College official. The student thereby merits the opportunity to make up assignments missed.

B. Non-College-sanctioned trips for extra-curricular activities should be planned on weekends instead of class days. Students traveling with groups in organizations that schedule trips while classes are in session are not automatically excused from classes. Each student on a trip may request prior approval from his/her faculty members to be excused from class and to be allowed to make up any missed assignments or work. This approval may or may not be granted.

II. Long Distance Travel

A. All organizations planning off-campus trips over 100 miles away are required to provide the information listed below to the Campus Safety Office before leaving campus.

A detailed travel itinerary.

Travel roster with emergency contacts.

Signed activity statement of responsibility and release form for each person traveling. The necessary forms are available in the Office of Campus Programs and Organizations.

B. All individual participants must travel with proof of personal health insurance.

C. At least one person on the trip must have a cell phone available in the event of an emergency.

III. International Travel

A. The Student Affairs staff member, office, or student organization advisor must check with the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory prior to organizing or scheduling student group international travel. If travel is restricted by the State Department, the Student Affairs staff member, office, or student organization adviser must check other appropriate country travel advisories, check “on-the-ground” contacts, and then consult with the vice president for student affairs for approval. Approval is subject to cancellation at a later date if travel is deemed inadvisable.

IV. 15 Passenger Van Usage

The van usage policies apply to the use of all College 15 passenger vans (referred to as ‘van’ below), as well as all similar vehicles that are rented or leased from outside agencies to be used for College-related travel or activities.

V. Van Driver Certification

A. All persons who intend to drive a van must first be approved by Facilities Operations.

B. All persons operating a van must have a valid operator’s license issued to them by the State of Michigan or another U.S. state.

No person with more than three points on his/her license may operate a van.

No person who has been convicted of an alcohol-related driving offense in the past ten years may operate a van.

No person who has been convicted of any offense that involved a vehicle-related death may operate a van.

C. Facilities Operations will check with the Secretary of State (or appropriate state agency) to confirm that a person who requests to become an approved van driver has a valid driver’s license.

In addition to an initial check, Facilities will check the legal driving status of all approved van drivers on an annual basis.

It is the responsibility of an approved driver to immediately notify Facilities in the event that additional points are assigned to his/her license and/or vehicle operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Campus Safety will provide this training that will include an online program as well as the actual operation of a College van.

In addition to the initial training, approved drivers will repeat the online training program every three years.

VI. Van Reservation and Return

A. Individuals or groups who wish to use a van for use should forward a request to Campus Services.

Student groups that wish to use a van must complete the necessary paperwork as required by the CPO office.

Vans may only be used for College-related activities.

Vans may not be used for transportation to bars, taverns, or events that focus primarily on the consumption of alcohol.

Van drivers may not consume alcohol within eight hours of operating a van.

B. Drivers will inspect the van for damage, and will complete the vehicle checklist prior to operating the van.

C. Upon return to campus, drivers will park the van in the Facilities Operations parking lot.

The vehicle checklist will be completed by the driver, and will be placed with the van keys in the key return slot at Campus Services.

VII. Van Travel

A. If a group is traveling with luggage, then no more than twelve people (driver included) may be transported in a van.

“Luggage” does not include backpacks, purses, or other small bags that may be used for day or other short trips.

B. Seatbelts shall be worn by the driver and all passengers at all times while the vehicle is in motion.

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure, prior to putting the vehicle in motion, that all passengers have their seatbelts properly fastened.

C. No driver may drive a van more than ten consecutive hours, or more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period. In addition, one passenger needs to stay awake to assist the driver.

A driver who drives ten consecutive hours must have at least a four hour rest period before resuming driving of a van.

D. At least one person on the trip must have a cell phone available in the event of an emergency.

Drivers are prohibited from using cell phones while they are operating vans.

VIII. Accident Procedure

A. In the event that a College van is involved in an accident, the driver is responsible for ensuring that the steps listed below are taken.

Contact the appropriate law enforcement agency, so that a police report may be completed.

Contact Campus Safety at 517/629-1234 and advise the dispatcher of the accident.

Notify the dispatcher of injured passengers and the hospital to which they are being transported.

In the event that the vehicle is not drivable, Campus Safety will contact Facilities Operations to coordinate the disposition of the vehicle, the arrangement of alternate transportation and other necessary assistance for those on the trip as needed.

Upon return to campus, notify the Business Office of the accident, to include date, location, and police report number for the incident.

Emergency Telephones

T—Indicates the location of a telephone line linked to Campus Safety. Boldface indicates a blue light telephone.

Emergency Alert System

Keeping Parents Informed

The Albion College Department of Campus Safety has arranged for parents to be included in our Blackboard Connect Emergency Alert system. The College has used Blackboard Connect for several years to notify members of our campus community when a hazardous or emergency situation is occurring on or near our campus. The College will now be able to utilize this system to provide pertinent information about such incidents in a more effective and timely manner.

How To Sign-Up

Register to receive messages at https://britparents.bbcportal.com. This system has been designed for you to input your contact information, and to update that information as needed. Establish a user name and password, after which you will be asked to provide the email address and telephone numbers through which you want to receive messages from the College.

Questions or Problems Signing Up?

Do not hesitate to contact Ken Snyder, Director of Campus Safety, if you have questions, concerns, or problems signing up. He can be reached by email at
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, or by calling (517) 629-0213.

**Please note that your contact information in this system will not be used to update information contained in College official records. The College will continue to use the information already contained in our official records when it is necessary to contact the parent(s) of a particular student about a specific issue. If you have questions about official records including how to update them, please contact the Student Affairs Office via
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.

Active Shooter Information

If Shots Heard on Campus

Call Campus Safety x0911 or 517/620-0911

Campus Safety will then immediately:

Call Albion Department of Public Safety (ADPS)

Send a message through the College Alert system via telephone, text, email, campus siren/PA system to the campus community

Initiate building lock-down procedures

Once you have received the message, evaluate your surroundings for signs of danger: gunfire, smoke/flames, explosion, people fleeing.

If you ARE NOT in the vicinity of the shooter, DO NOT approach or attempt to enter that area. Go to a safe place, monitor a source of information, and remain there until you are notified it is safe to resume normal activity.

If you ARE in the vicinity of the shooter, you have three options: Run, Hide, or Fight

Run

Have an escape route or plan in mind and leave your belongings behind

Help others escape if possible, but most importantly get out whether they agree to go or not

Do not attempt to move or assist the wounded

Try to prevent others from entering the area where the shooter may be

Get to a safe place and call Campus Safety

Hide

Hide in an area outside the shooters view

Lock the door or block the entrance to your hiding place

Silence your cell phone (including vibrate) and remain quiet

Fight

Fight only as last resort and when your life is in imminent danger

Attempt to incapacitate the shooter and act with as much physical aggression as possible

Improvise weapons or throw objects at the shooter, making sure you commit to your actions as your life depends on it

For more information please visit the link below to a video provided by the FBI on surviving Active Shooter events.